Flushing details for Single pipe steam radiator

davevarga

How to flush the radiator?

Could I disconnect it from the valve, run a long bottle brush like device into the detached hole of the radiator and scrub the length of the bottom of it? Then tilt the radiator with vent side up. Pour water into the vent hole with a funnel and let the water and gunk flow out the detached hole into a water catch basin? Then reconnect?
Am I nuts to do it this way?

I am going to spend more time on this as two radiators still are cold on the vent side, and those two rooms are coldish, even after giving them the proper tilt and putting in the correct steam vents.

Dave_4

Save your efforts...

The problem is NOT junk in the radiator.

It is a venting issue. Perhaps not even involving the radiators you know to be cool!

In some sort of priority, what's going on with regard to:

1) The steam off, and back on, pressure(s)?

2) Is the steam "main" well insulated?

3) Is the smallest sized vent in the radiator that has the most impact on the 'stat?

4) Does the end-of-main vent spit water? How big is the end of main vent?

5) How long ago were all the rad vents replaced?

6) Do a few rads get too warm in a few rooms now?

A comment: The notion that a perfectly level radiator requires a gentle pitch to assure condensate draining back to the riser is a false one. Changing the pitch from level to either upsloped or downsloped is insiginificant - until you excede a 1/8" total slope. Helping slope the rad either way has only negative results. The greater the slope, the worse the result.

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davevarga

save your efforts

hi Ken...

My answers about this one steam pipe radiator system in my 1920 built home. It's a two story with a finished attic space. 6 rads on flr 1, 5 on flr 2 and 2 in the attic, a total of 13 rads. My comments are prefaced by a hypen below -

The problem is NOT junk in the radiator.

It is a venting issue. Perhaps not even involving the radiators you know to be cool!

In some sort of priority, what's going on with regard to:

1) The steam off, and back on, pressure(s)?
-I do not know this, the pressure protection device never trips. I know it is supposed to be absolutely no more than 1.5 lbs.

2) Is the steam "main" well insulated?
-The main is totally insulated, I did it with the fiberglass sheathing, and sealed with high heat tape. Further, most of the vertical risers are also insulated at this point as I busted holes in the walls and slipped sheathing on them as well.

3) Is the smallest sized vent in the radiator that has the most impact on the 'stat?
-not sure what you mean at all, sorry...

4) Does the end-of-main vent spit water? How big is the end of main vent?
-not sure what you mean here either. If that is the furthest radiator from the boiler off of the mains, then no it does not spit water there from the vent.

5) How long ago were all the rad vents replaced?
-they were replaced last year, all with the same style vents, adjustable so I can set them for each flr (1st floor minimal, 2nd flr medium, 3rd flr max.

6) Do a few rads get too warm in a few rooms now?
-yes but only one smallish room with a radiator a little to large for it.

A comment: The notion that a perfectly level radiator requires a gentle pitch to assure condensate draining back to the riser is a false one. Changing the pitch from level to either upsloped or downsloped is insiginificant - until you excede a 1/8" total slope. Helping slope the rad either way has only negative results. The greater the slope, the worse the result.